HAMILTON, ON – On Feb. 3, 2015 researchers at Hamilton Health Sciences’ Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) will launch a precedent-setting campaign in support of hip fracture research in Hamilton and around the world.

Hip ATTACK, a global clinical trial led by PHRI in partnership with McMaster University, is looking at whether accelerated surgery following a hip fracture impacts a patient’s recovery. Currently, the average surgical wait time for hip fracture patients internationally is 24-48 hours. Hip ATTACK is investigating whether a surgical wait time of six hours or less leads to reduced negative outcomes, which include immobility/loss of independence, risk of serious complications such as heart attack or stroke, and even death. Last year alone, more than 600 people suffered a hip fracture in Hamilton.

“Observational data suggests hip fractures may be similar to heart attacks and strokes,” says Dr. P.J. Devereaux, cardiologist at Hamilton Health Sciences and Principal Investigator for the Hip ATTACK trial. “That is, the main way to substantially improve the outcome may be to treat the problem urgently. The Hip ATTACK trial is evaluating this theory.”

On Feb. 3, 2015 PHRI will launch an IndieGoGo campaign in an effort to explore new opportunities to fund important research like the Hip ATTACK trial. IndieGoGo is one of several “crowdfunding” websites that allow individuals or groups to raise monetary contributions from a large number of people in support of a new venture or charitable cause. In the world of health research, crowdfunding is a somewhat unexplored source of funding. All donations to the HipATTACK campaign, which aims to raise $50,000 in 60 days, will directly fund the enrolment of additional patients into the study.

“Obtaining financial support for large multicentre ‘change of process’ trials is a challenging and long process,” says Dr. Devereaux. “This campaign is a creative funding strategy that will support us in understanding, and to clearly answer, the question of whether quicker access to surgery will improve post-operative quality of life for hip fracture patients in our community and around the world.”

Donations to the IndieGoGo campaign are tax-deductible and can be made via the campaign page, here.

Click here for an infographic overview of hip fractures and the Hip ATTACK trial.